Atondido Stories
Rabbit and the Indian Chief
Long ago an Indian Chief was living with his people far in the
Canadian forest. Life was good and food was plentiful and the
people were all very happy. But one day a wicked giant and his
old witch wife came crashing into the land from a far country
beyond the prairies. They devoured all the food they could lay
their hands on and soon there was little left to eat in all the coun-
try; and often they carried off little children to their hiding-place
and ate them up until not a trace of them remained. Somewhere
far in the forest they dwelt in a hidden cave; they slept all day
long, but at night they always stalked forth in search of plunder.
The Chief was much troubled, and with his warriors he tried in
every way to discover their hiding-place, but no one ever suc-
ceeded in finding it. For by the use of their magic power the gi-
ant and his old witch wife could make themselves invisible
when they walked abroad among men and they could not be
caught. The Chief called all his warriors to a council, and he said,
"Who can rid me of this pest? Who can kill the giant?" But not a
man replied. And when he saw his people's store of food rapidly
growing smaller and the little children of his tribe slowly disap-
pearing, he was greatly puzzled as to what he should do.
One night of bright moonlight Rabbit was prowling through
the woods, as was his custom, in search of some one on whom
he could play a prank, for he was a great joker. Suddenly he
came upon the giant and his old witch wife standing by an open-
ing in the side of a low mountain. He watched them for a long
time from the shadow of a great tree, and at last he saw them en-
ter a large hole in the side of the hill. He knew now that he had
hit by accident upon the giant's cave and he was well pleased by
his discovery. But he kept his secret to himself, for he thought,
"Here is a good chance for me to win fame. I will kill the giants
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